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Examples Of Dehumanization In The Metamorphosis By Kafka

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Sophie Artery Topics in Literature Mrs. Carty 30 January 2023 Dehumanization of Human Society In literature authors commonly portray life problems through their characters. Although Kafka further refuses to admit the true meaning of his story The Metamorphosis it can be seen as a metaphor for how human society commonly treats men. In The Metamorphosis Kafka uses Gregor to illustrate the dehumanization of men in society. The beginning aspect of the dehumanization Gregor faces is Gregor is seen as being useful for work and nothing more, alike the stereotypical view of many men in today’s society. Very similar to the bee, as they are seen to work for the queen and not much more. Gregor dedicates his life to providing for his family, and never …show more content…

After reading author Kafka’s letter to his father it can be seen how the treatment of Gregor reflects the treatment Kafka endures in his home. Gregor’s family slowly begins to treat him more and more like an insect, he is forced to listen to his family from afar. “At first, whenever the conversation turned to the necessity of earning money, Gregor would let go of the door and throw himself down on the cool leather sofa which stood beside it, for he felt hot with shame and grief” (Kafka 27). Again, Gregor is left feeling that his only position in the family is making money. Now as he is unable to work he feels that he no longer belongs and has left his family in trouble. This reflects back to the letter Kafka wrote to his father in which he describes “you do charge me with coldness, estrangements, and ingratitude.” These three words describe exactly how most humans would treat any pest found within their vicinity. Gregor’s metamorphosis into a beetle reflects how Kafka undergoes dehumanization every …show more content…

He loses all connection with his family and is seen as an outsider. In the beginning, Gregor has one hope, his sister Greta. As the book progresses Gregor begins to lose hope in his sister, and his sister begins to lose feelings for him as well. Gregor’s transformation causes his mother to faint resulting in Greta erupting in anger. “‘You, Gregor!’ cried his sister with raised fist and piercing eyes” (Kafka 34). Gregor realizes that no one has spoken to him since his transformation, though he has heard his family talk about him. Grete’s words, spoken in disgust and anger, represent the first direct contact a family member makes with him since transforming, revealing the growing lack of human connection with Gregor. Now that Gregor is a burden and no longer working for the family, his family has all turned against him. The last one he had hope in was his sister, and now she has given up as well. This further proves the everyday aspect of men’s dehumanization. Grete has lost all love for Gregor due to his transformation and now treats him as he looks. The raised fist and piercing eyes are the common human responses to spiders, proving Gregor is no longer seen as human, by

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Here Gregor is contemplating the impracticality of missing work, while completely ignoring the fact that he turned into a vermin. Gregor’s ignorance to his own personal problems highlights his dedication to pay off his family 's debts (pg 9), at the expense of his wellness. The overcast weather and the mention of his depressed mood creates a pessimistic mood which would feed into Gregor’s already gloomy outlook on life. His want to sleep and forget his problems shows a pressure that Gregor must always be under. His hardworking attitude doesn’t match up to his willingness to ignore his problems.

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Gregor’s apathy towards his new form shows not only that he cares deeply for his family, but also that the initial stress caused by his transformation is nothing compared to what he endures in his day to day life. Gregor’s

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But when Gregor steps into the living room and gets rejected not only by the three gentlemen, but by Grete and his family, he realizes there is no hope for his acceptance. This explains why “...he was amazed at the great distance that separated him from his room, and could not understand how he had covered that distance in his weak state a little while before and almost without noticing it.” Gregor was able to cover the distance on his way to his sister so easily because he was hopeful. Now that his hope has diminished completely, the distance back seems insurmountable. The alienation that Gregor experiences from society causes the death of his individuality because society’s rejection of Gregor’s vermin self is an example of society’s belief

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Even though the begging of Part II alludes to the notion that Gregor has been completely severed from the humanity concept, because he woke up at twilight, there are numerous events at the end of the chapter that substantiate the belief that he is more human than his family. First, his remembrance of his sister’s ability to “play movingly” on the violin suggests a sense of humanity in him because he not only recalls the proud feeling of watching his sister play the instrument, but also is willing to invest his own earnings in fulfilling his sisters’ dreams. Second, when his mother’s few words enter his body, first time after his astronomical transformation, he once again is reminded of his humanity as he makes an emotional connection to that moment. Third, him instantly protecting the framed picture hanging on the wall yet once again symbolizes his link with humanity because it acts a medium out of alienation; furthermore, the glass that separates him from the picture represents humanity in that though it seems out of reach, it still is reluctant of leaving him. Finally, at the end of the novel, when Gregor seems to garner enough courage, he puts his self-interest before his consideration for his family, yet once again alludes to him being more human because he yearns for freedom, which is a humanistic concept.

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Gregor’s isolation and loneliness begins to toy with his composure, he becomes unpredictable and frightening to his family. Although, Gregor’s slow transformation from man to bug eventually becomes beneficial to Gregor. For instance, Gregor’s bug-like appearance allows him to be released from his family's high expectations. As for his developing bug-like qualities helps him to register his inner anger he feels towards his father. Gregor now realizes his father shows no sympathy towards Gregor and instead punishes him for something he has no control over.

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While Gregor begins are the all mighty, male provider, he regresses into an effeminate state as he no longer can perform his tasks for work. As his transformation into a vermin worsens, he no longer can perform any action and further conforms to the true identity of a bug. Grete, on the other hand, picks up the male provider role that Gregor could no longer perform, but then, as she becomes tired with the work and as Gregor identifies with an “it”, goes back to her female role. Gregor's physical change forces him to degenerate to death, but allows Grete to thrive, growing into a

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Franz Kafka’s, The Metamorphosis, reflects the difficulties Kafka endures throughout his life that lead to his isolation as a result of being insecure about his repulsive appearance, having a poor relationship with his father, and being socially awkward to the point in which he isolates himself. Kafka’s insecurities about his appearance ends up creating a burden on his life which lead to his alienation from society. The author creates Gregor Samsa in order to not only reflect how Kafka views himself, but how his parents view him. Kafka creates Gregor as a beetle to reflect the hideous features that he despises in himself. Both of their fathers abhor them because neither of them are a reflection of his perfect child.

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Next, you have his father, he is emotionally exhausted and a bit of a failure. He is very hostile and rough after Gregor’s transformation. He shows no remorse and shows resentment toward his son. He was not there for his son and was an unpleasant man. Next, you have Gregor’s mother, she seems to be naïve when it comes to Gregor’s transformation.

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In Metamorphosis, Gregor’s love for his sister, Grete, is what brings him happiness and the ultimate reason why he stays alive. His love for his sister, is what allows him to continue living as a transformed bug, but once his sister rejects Gregor saying, “He must go… this creature

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Kafka uses diction and symbolism to convey the family’s dissatisfaction and the deterioration in their family ties. Each family member acquires a job to compensate the loss of Gregor’s salary. Kafka writes: “They were fulfilling to the utmost the demands the world makes on the poor: Gregor’s father fetched breakfast for the petty employees at the bank, his mother sacrificed herself for the underclothes of strangers, his sister ran back and forth behind the shop counter at her costumers’ behest... And the wound in Gregor’s back would begin to ache anew when… Gregor’s mother…would say: ‘shut the door now Grete’; and Gregor was left in the dark again” (Kafka

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Once the sole provider for his family, he now becomes a burden. Internally, he is the same Gregor Samsa, but his physical appearance causes his family to alienate and mistreat him. The use of dehumanization is prevalent in the novel causing the protagonist to suffer with symptoms of depression. He is unable to be a positive contributor in society or for his family. The use of symbolism in the novel displays his isolation and humanity.

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He loathes that as a vermin, he is a burden to his family. Under the couch, Gregor is “(…) in a state of worry and murky hopes, which led to the conclusion that for the time being he would have to keep calm and with patience and the greatest consideration for his family tolerate the troubles which in his present condition he was now forced to cause them.” (Kafka 11). Gregor’s family, on the other side, never accepts his new condition and are not capable of adapting psychologically to the sight of a their son/brother as

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Gregor is the main provider within the family for the amount of income he brings, and is idolized for his role. Being raised in the 20th century, Gregor 's view on women had been the same as any other male during this time period and looked down upon women as inadequate, and, in most societies, the man provides and the woman maintains; however, this viewpoint alternates once the unexpected change in their life occurs resulting in a switch of leadership within their household. "Gregor felt very proud that he had been able to provide such a life in so nice an apartment for his parents and his sister. (21)" After his mysterious modification within his physical form, his mentality also weakened.

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Franz Kafka’s novella The Metamorphosis is the tragic story of young travelling salesman Gregor Samsa who becomes alienated by his family after he transforms overnight into a giant insect. The Metamorphosis, while open to various interpretations, clearly depicts Kafka’s own views of the suffocating capitalist socio-economic structure and the struggles for power that occur within one. In The Metamorphosis, Kafka illustrates the incessant oppression that occurs as a result of a rigidly capitalist society. First, Kafka illustrates the expendability of workers in a capitalist society with the role of Gregor at his workplace and within his family. Gregor is a traveling salesman, utterly unimportant to the company to which he dedicates his life.

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